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THE MARINE RECORD. VE _ government regulations, and also to permit the sanitary _ district of Chicago to make some needed improvements at this point. The bridge was floated by placing two mud ‘scows underneath and then raising the bridge with jacks and supporting it on blocking at a sufficient height to clear the center pier. The bascule bridge notwithstanding, Chi- cago must do a great deal more or lose the river trade except for small hookers, which the lake marine has very little more use for. The schooner S. A. Wood has been sold by the Hamilton Merriman Lumber Co., to Capt. Patrick Myers, who pur- chased the schooner, he is one of the veteran captains of the lakes, and has nearly attained to the age of four score years. Capt. Tom Turnbull, who has sailed the S. A. Wood 13 seasons, and had fitted her out, chartered her and ordered a tug to tow her out, was considerably non- plussed when he was informed that she had been sold. He is also an old timer who has sailed on the lakes nearly 40 years, and on the ocean several years before. In 1868 he be- came master of the schooner Cleveland, and afterward the : _ schooners Levant and Dispatch. He was in the employ of as the Kirby, Carpenter Lumber Co., sailing several of their a barges for 16 years, and of the Hamilton Merriman Co. 13, years. The Grain Dealer’s Journal of this week says that the grain shoyelers of Buffalo, by their continuous quarreling and striking, hasten the adoption of mechanical devices for doing their work. Several times every season the grain trade is held up at that port until the whims of the shovelers ‘are appeased or smothered. More trouble is experienced at _ Buffalo than all other lake ports combined. It is time the trouble was thoroughly investigated. If the system is wrong, or if the shovelers have just cause for complaint, some changes should be inaugurated which will effect a permanent relief. The grain shippers have already suffered too much delay. ‘‘Weare simply getting tired of that con- glomeration down there,’’ said a broker to me this week. “Hither Conners is right or he is wrong and we would like to know how things stand and who is to settle this dispute.’’ Mr. C. H. McCullough, Jr., general superintendent of the south works of the Illinois Steel Co., states with reference to their instructions for captains of vessels for the season of 1899, there are no changes from the instructions issued last year except the addition of those relative to ranges and that three long whistles indicate the boats come from Ashland He or Marquette. After June 1, all depths of water will be the same as last year, but before that time dredging operations will have been completed. Buoys and ranges have been established as follows : Two red buoys show the north edge of the channel, the westernmost one being placed at the turn. In addition to the above buoys, two range targets are placed on the shore to give the range of the center line of channel from deep water to the turn. These range targets will be indicated by two red lights at night. The north range targets and red lights are placed on the north pier and beyond on the shore line. Chicago city officials regard as important an official ex- pression of the War Department regarding center-pier ee bridges in the Chicago river, received by Commissioner of Public Works McGann, on Monday, in the form of a com- munication signed by Secretary of War Russell A. Alger. The letter contains an extract from the report of Major W. L,. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., in charge of the construction and improvement of rivers and harbors in the Chicago district, on the recently removed Taylor street ce bridge, and the opinions quoted in the extract are given the official endorsement of the department. The quotation is as follows: ‘‘Congresshas begun the improvement of the Chi- cago river, and it is recognized by all that the removal of cen- ter piers from the channel is the absolutely necessary im- provement to be made, without which the Chicago river can- not be navigable for moderh vessels at cost not prohibitory. “Under these conditions Iam of the opinion that no cen- ter-pier bridge should be authorized by the War Depart- ment over the Chicago river or any action taken or author- ized to be taken that will continue these nuisances beyond the lifetime of existing bridges. They must all be removed, aoe) due to natural decay and wear, at a near date in the future, fae at which time such bridges only as are adapted to the re- quirements of commerce here should, in my opinion, be al- lowed to be built within five miles of the mouth of the river. By such gradual replacement of the old, obstructive types of bridges by bridges of the required form the improvement ‘demanded in this river will be effected without undue cost to the city and will be extended over sufficient time not to discommode traffic over the bridges.” Oe oo RB iA ee _ Brps were received at the Navy Department this week from the Midvale Steel Company and the Bethlehem Company for furnishing forgings for 6r five-inch gnns that are to be used on the twelve new vessels authorized by Congress last ses- ‘sion. Each firm bid at 22 cents a pound, and it is probable therefore the contract will be divided equally between the two. All of the guns will be manufactured at the Washing- ton gun shops. | : “ a THE first news of the condition of the wreck of the steamer - Harlem since the expedition abandoned her last winter was brought by the captain of the passenger s eamer Dixon. _The Dixon passed within a half mile of the wreck. Her cap- tain says that the Harlem is lying fairly upright, about east _on the reef near Menagerie Island, Isle Royale group. The ‘winter in the ice of Lake Superior has not apparently done _ the hull any harm. CLEVELAND. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. An idea is prevalent that Escanaba ore charters will go up to 60 cents this week though tonnage has been placed all week at 55 cents. The Marquette ore rate is now firm at 65 cents, 55 cents Escanaba with an upward tendency and 70 cents from the head of the lakes. Among visitors here this week were Capt. James David- son, West Bay City, and F. W. Wheeler, also John Craig, of Toledo, and Myles Barry, of Chicago, and Ben Boutell, H. M. Gillett and G. C. Cook, of Bay City. There is now no doubt but that the contractors on Govern- ment work at Lake Erie ports had entered into some sort of a mutual agreement regarding the bids to be presented on pile driving, dredging, pier building etc. Mr. Waite, representing London Lloyds underwriters, left this port on Tuesday, for Lake Superior, where he will inspect the stranded steamer Harlem, learn about the con- dition of the hull, chances of floating her, etc. The tonnage of the steel steamer Pennsylvania, recently Jaunched at the Lorain yards of the Clevland Ship Building Co., is given by the Bureau of Navigation, Treasury Depart- ment, Washington, D. C., as 4,840 gross and 3,604 net. The schooner William McGregor, which was one of those chartered by the Atlantic Transportation Co. to go to the Atlantic with the rest of the lake fleet last fall, arrived here from Port Colborne on Tuesday. The McGregor will be sent to Marquette to load iron ore. The artist Howard H. Sprague, who died in New York on Monday, was a brother of Mr. Sprague, purser of the State of Ohio. Howard H. was for some time in theemploy of the MARINE RECORD and painted a large number of marine scenes during his service on the lakes. The coal rate is firm at 30 centsto Lake Superior and 4o cents to Milwaukee. A charter was made on Tuesday at 50 cents on anthracite from Buffalo to Chicago. The coal ship- pers don’t like the new clause relating to demurrage in the bill of lading, but vessel owners and brokers hold out for it all the time and it will soon become customary. The 30 cent rate on coal to the head of the lakes is not a fair living freight. Owners ought to hold out for at least 50 cents, the detention and carriage entitles carriers to a fair recompense for the work performed. A rate of 50 cents to Lake Superior should mean 60 cents to Lake Michigan ports. Coal has never paid its just freight on the lakes. The largest cargo of coal ever shipped to date was on the steamer Hendrick S. Holden, which amounted to 6,432 net tons of anthracite, Buffalo to Duluth, on a draught of 17 feet 8 inches forward and 17 feet rinch aft. The next larger was on the schooner Polynesia with a cargo of 5,690 tons, Cleveland to Duluth, 16 foot draught. The Gilchrist fleet, including a number of the older class of vessels, are going to be started to the coast. A conseryva- tive vessel owner, with whom I talked this week, said that the Move was a poor one, as when any old coach or rattle- trap couldn’t sail on the lakes they had no use for them on the coast, besides their construction and fastenings: were no good for salt water. There is a disposition to let contractor Conners fight out the grain shoveling dispute without the further aid of the jake Carriers’ Association. It seems certain that a few more squabbles like this Conners fight with the grain handlers would result in owners making individual contracts and being tied up to no one man, as itis thought that a spirit of competition might be better forall interests con- cerned. Rates on iron ore now from the head of the lakes figure up to 70 cents and 55 centsfrom Escanaba. Chartering is not brisk, but rates of freight are steadily on the increase and have been since the opening of navigation. I learn that some owners and managers of steamers are simply kicking themselves now for chartering too early. Fixing ahead is generally a weak thing for a manager of other people’s float- ing property to do. Mr. F. W. Wheeler, shipbuilder of West Bay City, was in the city this week in consultation with vessel owners. From what I learn Mr. Wheeler could gain another contract for a large steel steamer and tow-barge if he would guarantee de- livery, but steel makers are not taking orders just now. By the way Mr. Wheeler is just a wonder, he has got out/of his industrial, or rather commercial difficulties, and that West Bay City shipyard is just going to hum again with activity. Col. J. A. Smith, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., thinks that the Lake Erie combine has been broken, and that here- after the Government will be able to secure cheaper work. When the bids for the improvement of Sandusky harbor were opened Monday, it was found that E. J. Preyer, of Houghton, Mich., was the lowest bidder by almost 50 per cent. Col. Smith says that in the past there has been a pool in the Lake Erie district, and that the territory of each con- tractor has been respected by the others. Through the recent change in the mayoralty and conse- quent replacing of bridge tenders, the decks of two steamers were swept of their upper works this week. The Burroughs and the Alaska were the craft caught in the draw of Main street bridge, owing to the clumsy working of that piece of machinery by the new hands placed there under the present municipal administration. It isto be hoped that the ves- sels will recover from the city every dollar’s worth of dam- age caused by the inefficincy of its employes. The labor trouble at Buffalo is keeping vessel owners, agents, and brokers guessing relative to the outcome. It is now known that Bishop Quigley is heading the crusade against the vessel owners and their contractor, at the same time there is any quantity of unemployed men in the coun- try, though perhaps not skillful grain shovelers. I have been told several times in the past few days that the time has gone past when the laborers at any one port. can tie np the commerce of the lakes, on the other hand it is generally — admitted that the Buffalo longshoremen are putting upa stiff front. i The matter of wages between dock managers and dock laborers in Ashtabula, Conneaut, Fairport and Erie has been settled and is as follows: For unloading boats, 10% cents a ton ; overtime, 18 cents per hour extra; unloading ore by machine, 6 cents a ton; loading by hand, 60,000-pound cars, $2; 70,000-pound cars, $2.25: 80-000-pound cars, $2.50; g0,000-pound cars, $2.75; 100,000-pound cars, $3 ; trimming, cars, 60,000 and 70,000-pound cars, 20 cents; 80,000 and - g0,000-pound cars, 25 cents; 100,000-pound, 30 cents; day work of ten hours, $1.50; eleven hours, $1.57%; twelve hours, $1.65, and over twelve hours the men receive 30 cents an hour, double time. The hoisters will receive 25 cents an hour for overtime and the regular wages, $60 a month. Cleveland rates are 11 cents per ton, because it is more ex- oe to live here than at the smaller ports above men- tioned. or oO oe ESCANABA. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. A. A. Pomeroy, representing J. H. Beers & Co., a Chicago publishing house, isin the city gathering information to be used in the Illustrated History of the Great Lakes. Thursday afternoon, while the steamer Shrigley was leay- ing Green Bay without a pilot, she ran hard aground in the mud south of Grassey Island light. She succeeded in re- leasing herself next morning without sustaining any dam- age whatever. : BS Wreckers have succeeded in placing the hydraulic jacks in position about the steamer Thomas Davidson, ashore on Cana Island, and an attempt will be made to pull her off into deep water. The stranded steamer is resting easy and is making about one inch of water an hour as she now lies, The sight of six schooners coming into port with a fair wind and every stitch of canvas set and pulling beautifully, brought back fond memories of the good old days on the lakes. One or two smaller craft can be seen making their way into port most any day, but six, all nearly in a bunch, is rather an unusual sight nowadays. Matters marine are decidly slow at this port, just at pres- ent, due, most likely, to the labor troubles at Lake Erie ports. In the ore line there have not been arrivals enough to keep two of the docks busy, while the coal arrivals have taken a very noticeable drop in number. present state of affairs will keep up seems to be the princi- pal subject among marine men. Thick weather during the past week or two has been rather disastrous to vessels bound to or from Escanaba, the first being the steamer Iowa (reported last week), then the big wooden steamer Thos. Davidson, of Milwaukee, bound for this port, light, brought up on Cana Island, west side of “Lake Michigan. The steamer Maryland reported her and the wrecking tug Monarch left for the scene of the accident, but did not succeed in releasing her, as she is out about five feet forward and lies in a very rocky and exposed position. The wrecker returned after a set of jacks, but while here re- ceived a message from Milwaukee not to go back. The heavy winds of the last couple of days are likely to have caused considerable damage to the stranded craft. It was reported Saturday morning that the steamer Schlesinger, bound from this port with a cargo, had succeeded in finding bottom very near the same place as the Davidson. i re oo FLOTSAM, JETSAM AND LAGAN. On her first trip the steamer Pennsylvania carried over 6,000 tons of ore from the head of the lakes. Capt. Hagney, who was master of the lost schooner Nel-~ son, formerly sailed the schooner Chippewa. Capt. Aart Vantoll, owner of the tug George Stickney and a veteran marine engineer, died at Grand Haven, Mich., Monday night, aged 65 years. : The Secretary of War has approved the contract of Andrew Onderdonk for deepening the east channel of New York harbor to 40 feet for a width of 2,000 feet. cost about $4,000,000. The Harlan & Hollingsworth Co., Wilmington, Del., has been awarded a contract for building two steamers for the New York and Baltimore Transportation Co. The new ves- sels will contain all the modern equipments. Insurance companies have made new rates discriminating against ocean steamers when bound for Canadian ports, This is a blow to Canadian shipping in'erests, as many boats will be diverted from the St. Lawrence trade to American orts. > : Grain elevating at Port Huron has been given a boost this season such as that port never experienced beforé. The strike at Buffalo is undoubtedly responsible for considerable increase in trade at that point. Since the opening of navi- gation 2,000,000 bushels have been brought to Port Huron. How long the ~ wet The project will